The New Winds

Sakura was unhappy today. For some reason the dojo was guarded now? How mean! Now how will she have her night adventures?

She sighed as she took out her work, a small smile appearing.

"At least I still have you and Zashi-san" she said quietly to the work, leaving her bag open to the side with the mochi ready for Zashi's expected arrival, and got on with the jade work once again. It was looking very near completion.


(ooc: passed! With exceptional success for the fourth day in a row
D4 Hare weaponsmith/Strength+vp. TN20: 7d10o10k4 31

"Morning Sakura-chan!" Zashi seems to be in good spirits as the redhead enters the forge. "I have buns from, well..." Zashi casts a glance around the room. "You know."

The good spirits seem to evaporate as Zashi perches though. "Something seems to have happened though. All of the guards were scurrying around this morning. These might be the last for a while...but we better enjoy them while they are fresh."

"Ooh sweet buns!" Sakura quickly cleaned her hands, a big smile at Zashi arriving "thank you!"

She moved over to collect hers.

"I have more mochi too, and sugared plums!"

She sighed at the guards comment, nodding. "Hai, I don't think we'll be able to sneak out at night anymore. I don't know what to do about it."

"Well, we still have this time together. And the kitchens are not as heavily guarded as you might think." Zashi gently takes Sakura's hand, smiling.

"They're not?" Sakura was surprised "ano...it's not the sweets that make going out at night though. I like going out and looking at the stars. It's really pretty at night."

Kenji kept his promise and went to the forge in the morning. What he saw there, he didn't like at all.

"Ahem!" he cleared his throat. "I thought you'd like some company, Sakura-san."

He looked angrily over at Zashi. "So you're not here all alone with him," he hissed towards Zashi.

"Well, I don't think they have guards stopping us from the roof. We could be away from prying eyes at least"

Zashi chuckles a little as Kenji bursts in. "Speaking of..."

Zashi turns to the Kakita, taking a bite out of the bun from last night. "Good morning to you too"

"Oh, Zashi-san, Good Morning, I see you were out and about, or did you conjure up the buns? I don't believe they just appear." he said with the most shallowest bow

Sakura bowed.

"A-ano...the forge is a no fighting zone. There's fire and molten metals. Please keep all arguments to a minimum or you might end up scolded for life."

"I'm not fighting. I'm eating." Zashi takes another bite and mutters under their breath. "Im not doing anything to be scolded"

Swallowing the sweet bread, Zashi casts an eye back over to the Kakita. "Haha no, I'm not that good of a shugenja to pull buns out of thin air...what kind of ring would that be...you sort of need four elements. No, I bought these"

"Fight, what Fight? I'm just talking to our little fox clan friend," Kenji said with a sarcastic undertone. "But if you bought them, I guarantee you can tell me where I can get such fine pastries."

"Kenji-san!" Sakura stood between the two, her hands on her hips "this is my place of art. Please stop or please leave."

She puffed herself up to look more scary. It looked more cute than scary.

"Oh, of course. It's from this stall in the Market district. Of course they chiseled me for it, three zeni for a bunch of buns and tea but hey, sometimes you have to pay a bit extra for experiencing a place I may never see again"

Zashi appears completely at ease in front of the hostility.

[If necessary for Sinceriry Zashi is being completely honest]

Haruki came to the forge on a mission, to visit those who have a mask like he does and fully nail out the rules for it. Strange, he can hear people yelling, but aren't forges really loud from all the metalwork? Best to run in case someone is in trouble.

"Is everyone alright?"

Zashi takes a bite out of his sweet bun at Haruki's question. "Well, my sweet bun is slightly stale, but besides that..."

"Good morning Haruki-san, everything's fine, I'm just a little surprised the fox left the lair at night"

Kenji had to smile when he saw the puffy Sakura. "As you command"

He loosened up a little.

"How's your project going, Sakura-san?"

Zashi gives Kenji a side eye. "I thought Kakita were supposed to be good at metaphor."

Zashi goes back to Haruki "Haven't seen you around the forge before"

Sakura depuffed a little, bowing to the Phoenix.

"Hai, nothings wrong Kaito-san. Kenji-san was just asking about the sweet buns me and Zashi-san got" she went back to where the work was, motioning.

"Here it is!"

The handle of the blade was complete, with blue wrappings on it already showing how it would be held. The blade itself was still being shaped, but you could see what the final design would be.

"I had some business I wanted to discuss with you guys, but I heard yelling in a forge so I thought someone was getting hurt. It's the only explanation I have for hearing yelling and not banging in a forge; does no one but Sakura use this forge? Are you at a stopping point? I wanted to talk about the masks now that we've had time to think about them."

As he examined the blade, Kenji said, "You are right, Zashi-san, some of us are good at words, some make good swords,... and some are good with swords..."

Pause

"Anyway, that's a nice blade Sakura, with like where it's going to go, it's guaranteed to make you famous"